Cheque Centres Limited

Founded in Scotland in 1996, Cheque Centres Limited grew to become a prominent provider of alternative financial services across the United Kingdom, operating over 200 physical stores at its peak. The company's core services targeted customers needing immediate access to cash through services like cheque cashing, short-term payday loans, pawn-broking, and travel money. In 2006, it was acquired by the US company Cash Converters International. However, following a significant regulatory crackdown on the UK's high-cost short-term credit industry by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the company's business model became unsustainable. It ceased trading and entered administration in late 2014, eventually being formally dissolved on 17 July 2018.